Alabama

U.S. Sen. Luther Strange answers questions from the media during a news conference with U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue on Friday, July 21, 2017, in Point Clear, Ala. (John Sharp/jsharp@al.com).

U.S. Sen. Luther Strange answers questions from the media during a news conference with U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue on Friday, July 21, 2017, in Point Clear, Ala. (John Sharp/jsharp@al.com).

U.S. Sen. Luther Strange, whose Senate campaign this summer has zeroed in on his support of President Donald Trump's agenda, downplayed on Friday the recent friction between the president and Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

"My sense is it's probably more related to the frustration not only to the president, but all of us at least on the Republican side about the obsession with Russia and the inability to get on to the issues that are affecting our agenda, which is what we want to do in repealing and replacing Obamacare, deal with tax reform, infrastructure spending and some key issues like that," Strange said during an appearance in Point Clear with U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue.

Strange's comments echo what most other GOP Senate candidates said this week after Trump's scathing remarks about Sessions first surfaced.

But U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Huntsville, praised Sessions for taking an ethical stance in recusing himself from a federal investigation into Russia's involvement in the 2016 presidential election. Trump has publicly criticized Sessions for doing so.

"If you are considered a witness to investigation, then you cannot ethically remain an attorney in that investigation or litigation," said Brooks. "As such, Attorney General Jeff Sessions properly recused himself."

Sessions served 20 years as Senator and remains deeply popular among Alabama conservatives. His resignation earlier this year to join Trump's cabinet helped spark this summer's special election for the Senate seat, with the primary slated for Aug. 15.

"We need to move forward and let the investigation run its course," said state Sen. Trip Pittman, R-Montrose and a candidate for the Senate. "I have 100 percent confidence in Attorney General Sessions. We need to encourage the president and the attorney general to do all they are doing to move the agenda forward."

Dr. Randy Brinson, former head of the Christian Coalition of Alabama who is also a GOP candidate for Senate, called the Russian probe a Democratic-backed "witch hunt."

"(Sessions and Trump) are frustrated. It's keeping them from getting the agenda to move forward. There is no rift there. It's a non-story, a non-issue," Brinson said.

Said Brooks: "President Trump has emphasized his unpredictable nature and considers it one of his strongest assets. President Trump's remarks about Attorney General Jeff Sessions are consistent with that unpredictable nature."

The discomforting situation was highlighted in a Politico piece Friday in which three dozen local Republicans were interviewed with many saying that they were troubled with Trump's comments.

"Alabamians, and this is my perception of it, their support for Trump will diminish significantly if he and Sessions were to part ways," said Steve Flowers, an author whose weekly column about Alabama politics appears in more than 60 newspapers statewide. "If that happens, they better unhitch their wagons to Trump."

Said Flowers: "Jeff Sessions trumps Trump in the 'Heart of Dixie.'"

Perhaps none of the GOP candidates is in a more precarious situation than Strange, whose well-financed campaign backed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is fully on board with Trump's agenda.

Strange's TV and radio spots have, in recent weeks, attacked Brooks as being a "Never Trumper" during the 2016 presidential primary in Alabama. Brooks was a supporter of Texas Senator Ted Cruz last year, but the congressman went on to back Trump during the general election.

Brooks has called Strange's ads deceitful, and said Friday about the Trump, Sessions fricton: "It makes me wonder if Luther Strange will withdraw some of his attack ads concerning my comments during the (2016) Republican primary."

"I've never seen anyone cozy up to someone like Strange and Brooks have done to Trump," said Flowers.

Perry Hooper - who helped lead Trump's Alabama campaign, and who supports Sessions - has sought to tone down the talk of a Trump-Sessions split. "Everyone I have spoken to assures me that Sessions and Trump will have a healthy and productive tenure as president and attorney general," Hooper said in a statement. "Much like the relationship between brothers, there will always be 'rough spots in the road.'"

At least one Democrat in the Senate race is pouncing. Doug Jones, a former top federal prosecutor from Birmingham, said all candidates in the Senate race need to "fully support" Sessions' recusal and condemn Trump's threats at the Department of Justice.

"The reputation of our nation, the credibility of our elections and the rule of law is at stake. There is no room for partisanship here," Jones said.